New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-06
THE CALAMITY NEAR TIFFIN
FIXING BLAME FOR THE LOSS OF LIFE.
FREIGHT TRAIN MOVED WITHOUT oRDERs-OB-
SERNATIONS BY Tile SURVIVORS.

-
FREIGHT TRAIN MOVED WITHOUT 0RDERS-OB-
sERyArIoNs BY THE SURVIVORS.
CHICAGO, Jan, 5.-The scene of the wreck
on inc Baltimore and Ohio near Tifln Ohio Ia fast
losing Its horrible appearance. Tho track, which was
torn up for twenty yards, has been replaced. The
uismahued engines and broken cars have all been
removed and traffic Is resumed All that remains to
i the tale are few charred tmbers which being
covered oday by tho snow, and the horribly burned
uunRs OF nine bodies which disfgured beyond
recognition. Every piece Of burned clothing, keys
ohu everything that not utterly destroyed, havo
Teen gathered to aid in Identifying the bodies The
responsibility of the accident Is now placed upon tho
freight conductor, Fletcher, who pulled out Of sid
ing four miles west Of Republic without Orders intend
Ing TO make tho siding at Republic for the passenger
tmin The conduct Of of tho employees OF the
lultmorc and Ohio road Is made subject for COM
ment by all the morning papors. Anxious people
oIo"dcd the station but despite their enrcatics could
oo'ah no Information as to tho arrival Of rains from
'ho wreck The wrecked train arrived mt the Balti-
moro and Ohio depot at IL 80 q. IN. to-day. Ono Of
tho INST men to be helped of Harry T. Forester
III" mead was bandagcd and his left arm brokcn
Burtncr railroad man. roughly hustled tho injured
passenger towarl the baggage room
Don't give your name," yelled Burtner, as several
newspaper men questioned Forester. You nowS-
paper men are too nip," he added. "Givc it to mo
II you want to. it will only get me a better Job"
Forester hurried into tho baggage room and
locked in. lie nearly tainted from exhaustion but at
late hour was taken away. Forester was found
afterwari. Ho said:
Il can't tell you much about the way the thing
happened. 1t was quick as a fash, and how got
through the millions OF splners and falling tmbers
| don't know. When got up tho cars wcre on fire
and could hear the people all crying out in agonz
ing tones for help. / somewhat dazcd, bue theso
cries brought mo 10 sepSe OF tho calamity. There
seemed 10 be wounded people Whers, ana all
we're crying for aid. was covered with blood from
the wounds on my head and could not do much TO
assist them The groans Of those in the burning car
were awful, I the express messenger who
was Killed, and the baggagcman Gates who had all
the flesh nearly torn of of his legs. There were
only four OF u.s. think out eighteen who got out Of
the smoking car"
Mr.. FORESTER has very severe confusion on his
left shoulder. made ho thinks 10y striking some timber
when he and his scat forced Though the roof
Of tho car The skin the back Of his head was
also lo0cncI and forced forward. In add ton liz has
lruiscs all over h. body. Professor Francis Kendall
OF Crete. Neb., said:
81 was sitting in the Gr-tclass coach which was
coupled Iut IN the rear Of the smoking car anu ahea
# tho two sleeping cars. our INST lntlialoh Vi
danger was tho sharp application Of the brakes ana
the ion Of the engine with such suddenncss that
thrown forward III our SEATS. Then came
\ dealening crash In front OF Us and our car was
shaken up a. IL by an earthquake. All the glass III
the windows was broken We were thrown all over
tic car aid the women screamed We all got out Is
qWcltly possible. The baggage and hnOhlhg car
were pile of hiLGng Wool and had already caught
fro We trcl TO aid those at work on the burning
cars, but tho heat was Intense that We were driven
ack. There wcrc several persons TO ho seen In tho
flames but they were beyond human help some OF
them were alive and their eric, could be heanl. We
tlcn Ian forward TO the engine. We found TIC hIo
man lammci in between the boler-head and water
tank. With axes, saws and umlers we worked for
nearly an hour To release him, but without success
lie was caught 10y the lower limbs an be finally dcd
bcor- eyes, having uttered hardly worl thoush
conscious TIL tho last Frcd Bct2oh, OF RurhVilie'
Neh.. was another who escaped. HIS wife was III my
coach. lie found himself caught by both legs ana
with great diHiculty succeeded in wpnchins himself
rec u-t before the flames reachci him lie V)h NC
that thor, was 4 man each side Of him, ard that
them caught him by the foot ana held Inn Tor
-ouic time before he could free himself from his dcs
pcra,c clasp. Zach was jammcl III past help Bet
lOll then Jumped ten feet To the ground BoyOhi
bruises he not hurt. How the fourth
man got out he did not know, nor did anybody else
Nc found him. lying the with his skull laid
bare. / presume that he shot bodily out Of the
wreck We CARED him to OF the slcepets and
'hc surgeons said that he could hardly liye.
Tho statements male concerning the cause Of the
disaster hy tho OF the freight train were cOnict
ug. The general excuse given was that there was
nlo % reach Republic before thc express arrived.
they knew they were running on the tine OF the
express, Lut 1inu and Republic ar' only I'VE mics
apart. They did not agree As TO whether the freight
Va, standing su or MOVING brakeman sad tho
re ght 0y.ng slowly, while Others oi the crew
add t standing stu, having become stalled
There were probably about sixty persons on the train
and about thiry Of them came on to Chicago on the
rain with me. IL tho most sckenins and nor
iblc sight man ever saw.
Several other Passengers tell substantially thr same
story All unto in saying that the death OF VI H.
Iars, who Is supposed 10 have been connected win
h. Bureau of Labor Satisfies at Washington, was un-
loubtrly tho saddcsJ and most hcartreDllns Of tho
,hole di.a,ter When the crash came he was riding IN
tho smoker. lie succeeded III getting the uppcr hall
of his body ont OF the coach window when his lcss
we're pnncl by the ruins IN the interior Of the car
uul he burned 10 death lcfOIo the eyes Ol
those outside who could do nothing for him. sad
one OF the surN ivOr-:
81 shall nc, or forget it. As tho flames were creep
ng loser and closer 10 HIN and he came TO tho con
r, ion that he was doomed 10 die the most horrible
OF deaths ne pitched his pocket book 10 us and gave
us the address Of hl- mother in Washington. After
that the flames closed around him AMI We DID not
him again..
WAS TIE ENGINEER INTOXICATED